Tag Archives: transportation

As we know, UNC is a rather large campus that at time feels like a whole other world. Sometimes that walk from class back to the southern part of campus can be brutal, especially in that summer heat. Jeez. However, to avoid overheating and the endless sweating, why not hop on a bike? Riding bikes is one of the most efficient ways to get around campus, as their are many benefits and advantages that you may or may not be aware of.

Why Hike, When You Can Bike?

Biking around campus has so many conveniences. Not only can you get to your destination quicker by cutting your walking distance in half but you’re also getting in a pretty rigorous workout, cause those hills are NO joke. On the other hand, beat the heat as you enjoy the nice breeze when you’re zoomin past the Bell Tower or down Skipper Bowles Drive. The other great thing is that UNC accommodates for bike riders, as you can find bike rails near every residence hall, class building and parking lots. Therefore you’ll never have to worry about finding places to put your bike as you got about your day. On that note, be sure to always lock your bikes to keep it extra safe!

When In Doubt, Pedal It Out!

There are many resources available for avid bikers and even those who are yet to be familiar with bike riding. For cyclists, MOVEUNC dedicates a month to celebrate cycling, as they provide many beneficial services for students. Bike riders can receive free swag like seat pads, locks, bells and many more useful items along with bike checks and registration! Also, some other great benefits can be found while using the UNC Maps website or app, as they have created a section specifically for bikers. This sections includes very useful information such as routes, bike amenities, bike rail locations and more! UNC Maps also provides routes explicitly for riders to find paths suitable for biking to their destination. In addition, UNC Maps includes amenities that could be useful and/or necessary such as air pumps, fix it stations, bike hubs, etc. Therefore, you can feel confident that if you ever need an extra hand, UNC has your back!

But Wait, There’s More…

If you haven’t noticed lately, there are blue Tar Heel bikes all over campus that are just waiting to be utilized and you should definitely give them a try! Through the UNC Bike Share program, students are able to rent a bike at their convenience. Well, first and foremost it is free to students and also very simple to set up. However, before you eagerly hop on a bike, you need to register for an account then you must reserve a bike. After so, you may ride until your heart desires (well technically you get an hour a day for free, but if you so chose to ride for longer you will be charged accordingly). Make sure to check the website for more information! Once you’ve gone on your ride, return the bike to any of the bike stations then feel free to repeat! As mentioned before, students are provided with an hour each day to ride for free, so definitely take advantage of this resources whether you need to make a quick trip or want to enjoy a nice bike ride during the sunset.

And Here Comes The Bad Part….

Well in all honesty, there aren’t many inconveniences that come with riding you bike… Well maybe besides falling, so please ride cautiously! Nonetheless, you may find difficulty biking during midday, as there tends to be a lot of foot traffic while students head to lunch or their next class. Also, unexpected construction might be in your way but besides that biking is a great form of transportation around campus! Just remember no texting while biking and be sure to keep safe as you rush to your next class or take a scenic adventure around campus!

Alright y’all! This post is dedicated to a topic that is near and dear to my heart: bus transportation. I was surprised to find out that only a few people were as ecstatic as me about the public transportation system in Chapel Hill. I mean, the system is so expansive and can take you to so many places! This post is dedicated to you students who have yet to learn those bus routes- you have no excuses now!

Life’s solution to the hassle called walking.

Here are a few scenarios and the bus routes I’d take:

Note: This is more oriented towards first-year students, who are probably less familiar with the bus system.

I need to… go to class

There are a ton of different routes to get to class! The RU, CCX, and A will take you to the Student Stores area which is close to many buildings on the lower quad. The RU and U are your best bets if you have class on the upper quad.

I need to… go grocery shopping

The J is going to be your all stop grocery bus! Not only is the new Super Target on the J’s route, but stay on a little longer and it’ll take you to the Harris Teeter in Carrboro. If you need some basics, the U route puts you on Franklin Street, where the CVS and Walgreens are.

I need to… get somewhere out of Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill is a great place to be, but it’s understandable to occasionally want to explore other areas every once in a while. Thankfully, there are a ton of different options to get there-wherever there is. The Triangle Transit is a great way to get somewhere in the Research Triangle. It only costs around 2-3 dollars per bus ticket, which is way cheaper than an Uber. The PART bus system will also take you to Greensboro, and only costs 2-3 dollars as well.

Because I really care about you guys (and the bus system), I made a diagram for you guys so it’s easier to picture all of these different routes! This map is in no way comprehensive of all the different routes and stops; I just put in the ones I found the most helpful.

You leave your room in Hinton James, head to class in Carroll Hall, eat lunch at Lenoir, circle back to another class in Genome Sciences, work out at the SRC, return to Hinton James, then go to dinner with friends on Franklin…the daily life of a Carolina student involves plenty of rushing around campus. While UNC is pretty walkable, sometimes you need a quicker way to get around. Read on to learn about transportation on campus, plus a few tips on how to make walking more enjoyable!

All of the Chapel Hill transit buses are free for students.

Take the Bus

A, D, F, J, S, T…the long list of bus routes can seem like a confusing bowl of alphabet soup. Which one should you get on? Luckily, you’ll only need to know three routes to get anywhere on campus—you’ll be thankful you’ve mastered them when it’s 20 degrees outside or you have to get from Craige to the Hanes Art Center in 20 minutes.

• RU: The RU (Reverse Shuttle) runs counterclockwise, so you’ll usually ride it from South Campus to North. Hop on at the stop next to the sand volleyball courts by Hinton James or outside Ehringhaus and Koury, and you can get off by Fetzer Gym, the Union and Davis Library, or the Old Well.

• U: The U (Campus Shuttle) runs clockwise, but you may ride it toward North or South Campus depending on where you’re trying to go. Popular stops include Horton, the Dean Dome (close to the business school), the Hinton James sand volleyball courts, Student Stores, the ROTC building (across from the FedEx Global Center), Hanes Art Center, and Franklin Street.

• P2P: The P2P runs counterclockwise every night from 7pm to 4am, so you’ll never have to worry about making it back to your residence hall safely. The shuttle stops at Ehringhaus and Koury, Hinton James, and Public Safety (between Morrison/Hardin and Craige/Craige North), and takes you toward Franklin Street and Granville Towers.

You can check out a Tar Heel Bike for free at any of the South Campus high-rise residence halls!

Pro tip: download the NextBus or EZ Chapel Hill Transit apps. With these handy programs, you can bookmark your most-used bus stops and see how many minutes remain until the next bus arrives. Check out the bus and P2P routes online for the full list of stops!

Ride a Bike

Biking is another quick way to get around campus—plus, you’ll get some great exercise. (They don’t call it Chapel Hill for nothing!) If you bring a bike, you’ll want to purchase a sturdy U-lock and register it for free with the Department of Public Safety to protect against theft.

Don’t have your own wheels? The Residence Hall Association sponsors a program called Tar Heel Bikes, where you can check out a bike from the Hinton James, Craige, Ehringhaus, or Morrison community office for free with your OneCard!

Walking gives you the chance to spend time with friends and enjoy the beautiful sights on campus!

Walk

Fall weather is coming! While the trek from South Campus can be miserable in the sweltering heat, crisp mornings and scenic autumn leaves are on the way. In the meantime, hiking around campus all day is an awesome workout, and you can make it more enjoyable by listening to music, setting a goal for the number of steps you take per day using an app or a Fitbit, or walking with friends.

Whether you decide to walk to and from North Campus every day, or you give up on that plan and start taking the bus after the first month (I may or may not speak from personal experience…), there are plenty of ways to get around campus. Don’t hesitate to try them all and figure out which works best for you!

Zipcar program allows students to rent cars

With Zipcar, you can venture into the world off campus. Zipcar is a car-sharing program that lets students reserve cars by the hour or day for low rates that include gas and insurance.

Zipcar U's program puts rental cars on college campuses.

There are 8 locations on campus that have Zipcars, so there will be one close by no matter where you live. This is a great and easy alternate to not having a car on campus or having to buy a parking pass. Each location also has a different type of car, so you can drive many models. Just be sure to return your car on time in case another student has reserved the spot right after you and to avoid late fees.

New bike sharing initiative increases student mobility

Don’t want to bring your bike to campus? Don’t worry; now you can borrow bikes from your residence hall! The Bike Share Task Force in conjunction with the Residence Hall Association has created UNC’s first bicycle share program called Tar Heel Bikes. The bicycle share program provides Kona AfricaBike Three bicycles to be checked out for short-term use by community members for trips on and around campus.

The mission of Tar Heel Bikes is two-fold: to provide community members access to bicycles and to promote sustainibilty and cultivate a biking culture on campus.

Chapel Hill has great, free buses

The buses are a clean, easy way to move around Chapel Hill.

That’s right, every Carolina blue bus you take on the Chapel Hill Transit System is free! There are bus routes that take you anywhere you want to go in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area and serve as a great alternative for people who don’t have cars on-campus. Make sure you check out the website, though, because not all routes run on the weekends.

If you live on South Campus, the circular U and RU routes will become your best friends if it’s cold or rainy (or if you just don’t want to walk). The U will take you up to Franklin Street with stops outside of Hinton James, Ram Village and Morrison. The RU will take you to the Student Union and has stops outside of Ram Village and Ehringhaus.

Bike, hike or bus

Chapel Hill Transit

UNC’s campus might just be one of the most beautiful campuses that this country has to offer. Yes, I’m completely biased and anyone from Duke or Wake or Elon will tell you differently. Don’t listen to them. There really is just something about the way that trees bloom as you walk to class through Polk Place on an early April morning (Brendan James, anyone? – he went to UNC). Ah, it’s just lovely.

As with any campus, there are many ways to get around. Walking is, by far, the most common way to get from place to place. Carolina is a very pedestrian-friendly place. When crossing South Road to get to class in the morning from south campus, there are crossing guards at peak hours to make sure that traffic gets through as well as students.